During my first year of college, I learned a lot. Like what to bring to school! This list is what I discovered I can not live without.
1. Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Specifically at OVU, the power went out more than I thought it would. The hallways and dorm rooms were pitch black at one point and I had to borrow my boyfriend’s flashlight and that left him in the dark, so that night I went to Wal-Mart and bought my own! Don’t be under prepared.
2. Couch
Honestly, there are pros and cons to having a couch in your dorm room. My sister and I shared a dorm our freshman year and we took the couch from our room at home to school with us. We were told by many people that our room was the coolest on campus. However, sometimes I thought that wasn’t so true because it made a few of our “friends” (acquaintances) think they could come to our room whenever and stay however long they wanted to, even if we weren’t in there.
3. Pens and Pencils
Seriously, bring a surplus. You’ll be surprised how many people never have one and will borrow from you and not give it back. So get the cheap ones that you don’t care about and are willing to give away.
4. Air Fresheners
Anything that can make your room smell better is necessary! I recommend a wax melter (not a candle warmer, a wax melter). A wax melter is permitted at OVU because it is not a hot plate, nor an open flame; it is melted by a lightbulb. This is the best because the smell fills the room so much faster and it lasts longer than a spray.
5. Plants
Plants are great because it gives your dorm room life (literally). Also, if you like taking care of pets this gives you something to take care of that is close to a pet, since pets are prohibited. My roommate and I are planning on having a lot of "pets" (plants) this coming semester.
6. Command Hooks
Also, command strips. My sister and I used more command products than we thought we’d need. They came in handy for so many things. For example, we used them in our closets for towels, by the door for keys, by the window for the curtain rod, on the backs of power plug strips, and also to hang things that were too heavy for poster putty.
7. Duct Tape
My sister and I were the only ones on our floor who owned duct tape, I swear. So many people came to borrow our duct tape. I’m surprised we didn’t run out! Then again, we did bring enough to last through a zombie apocalypse, which I recommend you do. It is useful to hang things like mirrors (which are too heavy even for command strips) and you can easily remove the residue with goo-gone.
8. Water Bottle (with a filter)
Or at least a pitcher with a filter and a normal water bottle. I would not recommend drinking the water at OVU. I have heard some rumors about it, I’ve never looked into it (maybe I will now) but I still don’t trust it. Also, I am very picky about my water and I don’t like the taste of tap water, even at my own house so I prefer filtered water anyway. Also, buying cases of water bottles gets expensive!
9. Games
There will be times you’ll wish you had board games because you’ll have some free time. The games in the commons are old or missing pieces, so I’d recommend bringing a few of your own games.
10. Movies
Also for those low-energy days when you just want to relax and maybe aren’t feeling a game. You may be thinking, “Oh, I have Netflix. That’s good enough.” Honestly, sometimes Netflix just doesn’t cut it because it doesn’t have every movie. Movie nights are popular at OVU especially on Friday nights in the commons!
11. Posters and Pictures
This will help decorate your room more and make it feel more like home. My sister and I hung so many we filled almost all of our extra wall space with posters and pictures! It was so nice. However, don’t overcrowd your walls and make your room feel cluttered.
12. White Board
Hang it on the outside of your door with a marker, so your friends can leave you notes. It sounds silly, but people really do it! My sister and I had our own separate whiteboards on our door and they were usually full of notes from friends.
13. Printer
The printer in the library costs money and if you are always using it, it can be expensive. It is much nicer to be able to print in your room and not have to always walk all the way to the library. Also, the library is not open 24 hours and sometimes you’ll need to print something late at night.
14. Comfort Item
I, personally, have a blankie, which I hesitated to bring to college because I was nervous about getting judged or made fun of. Then, I thought, “We’re all adults here.” So, I figured I’ll bring my blankie anyway. Bringing it was a wonderful decision because during the stress of moving, classes, and exams it helped me to sleep better every night (along with melatonin)!
15. Melatonin
This is a natural, non-addictive, sleep-aid. This helps your brain to produce more natural melatonin which causes you to fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. This helped me so much especially during finals week. The secret to passing classes and succeeding in college is a good night’s rest every night!
16. Towels
I put this on the list to tell you to bring more than you think you’ll need. Why? Well, let’s be honest here, how often are you really going to do laundry?
